antonio messina



(No Model.)

J. A. MESSINA. BLIND STOP.

No. 474,258. Patented May 3, 1892.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ANTONIO MESSINA, OF KEY WVEST, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO W. H. WILLIAMS, T, OF SAME PLACE.

BLIND-STOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,258, dated May 3, 1892.

Application filed January 7, 1892. Serial No. 417,291. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ANTONIO MES- SINA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Key est, in the county of Monroe and State 5 of Florida, have invented a new and useful Blind-Stop, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in blind-stops; and the objects in view are to pro- I vide a cheap and simple device adapted to be applied to the slats of inside blinds or outside shutters, and principally to the latter, which device will serve to lock securely the said slats in either a closed, open, or any intermediate I position.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

.20 Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a blind having a stop constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail in enlarged perspective of the lower end of the blind. Fig. 1 is a detail View of the ferrule.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The blind in the present instance consists of the usual side rails 1, connected by the upper rail 2, the lower rail 3, and the central rail 4. 5 designates the series of pivoted slats, the edges of which are loosely connected by the usual vertical connecting-bar 6. 7 designates a metal casting, the rear face of which is provided with an inverted-L-shaped recess 8, adapted to fit over the edge of either the rails 3 or 4 of the shutter. By the formation of the recess 8 the lower portion of the casting is reduced, and the same is provided with perforations 9, whereby the casting may be secured in position by screws 10, passed therethrough and into the aforesaid rail. Above the recess 8 the casting is provided with a uniformlycurved bore 11 and immediately below the same with a threaded perforation 12, the latter extending from the front side of the casting and communicating with the bore 11 near its middle, for which purpose the perforation 5o 12 is inclined. The perforation has threaded therein a binding-screw 13, the outer end of which terminates in a head, through the medium of which the screw may be conveniently manipulated.

14 designates a ferrule, which is split, where- 5 5 by it is adapted to fit various sizes of connecting-rods 6. The ferrule is applied to the lower end of the rod 6 and is secured in position by a rivet 15, passed through the opposite sides of the ferrule and the rod. The lower end of 6c the ferrule is provided with perforated ears 16, and in the same is pivoted by a pin 17 a curved locking-bar 18. The bar 18 is uniformly curved throughout its length, and its curvature agrees with that of the bore 11 of the casting or block 7, the diameter of the bar being slightly less than that of the bore, whereby said bar may readily slide therethrough. WVhen the casting is in position upon the rail and the ferrule applied at the lower end of the connecting-bar of the series of slats, the lower or free end of the lockingbar 18 is passed through the bore 11 of the casting or block 7. Now in any movement upon the part of the connecting-bar 6 it will be seen that the locking-bar will be either pushed through or withdrawn from the bore 11, and thus in adjusting the slats to various positions, in order to provide for ventilation or non-ventilation, light or darkness, the locking-barwill be accordingly moved in the bore.

In order to fasten or secure the bar within the bore at any particular point, and thus lock the connecting bar or slats in a similar manner against any movementwhatever, it is simply necessary to manipulate the binding-screw 13, thus forcing its inner end against the curved locking-bar and binding the latter within the bore.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that 0 I have provided an extremely cheap and simple stop for blinds, both inside and outside, and one in which the slats may be securely locked or held against movement, either by accident or from intruders, and yet which will 5 permit of a free movement of the slats when the same is unlocked.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination, with a blind comprising the pivoted slats, the connectingbar, and the cross-bar, of the locking-casting secured to the cross-bar and having a curved bore, a locking-bar pivoted to the lower end of the connecting-bar and passing loosely through the bore, and means for securing the same at any point within the bore, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, With the blind compris: ing the pivoted slats, the cross-rail, and the slat-conneotin g bar, of the casting secured to the upper edge of the cross-bar and having a curved bore, a locking-bar loosely connected to the lower end of the connecting-bar and curved according to and mounted in the bore, and a binding-screw mounted in the inclined perforation formed in thecasting and. adapted to, bear against the locking-bar, substantially 3. The combination, With the pivoted slats,

the slat-connecting bar, and, the cross-rail, of

' endin erforated ears a uniformh-curved P e P J locking-bar mounted in and agreeing With the bore of the casting and having its upper end i taking between the perforated ears of the ferrule, a pivoting-pin passed through the ears and bar, and a bindingscrew located in the .inclined perforation of the casting and hearing on the locking-bar, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I my own I have heretoaifi'xed' my signature in the presence of two witnesses;

JOHN ANTONIO MESSINA.

Witnesses: r

OHAs. S. B. IWOFFAT, LOUIS B. GREENBERG. 

